Hello again. It's been a while since I last posted, still working on the story. I had wanted to show what both of the two main characters were the day before meeting each other. I had work on grammar and vocaburary with help from the skype chat. Please give your opinions and review so that I can see what else I need to work on if any.
Enjoy the prologue.
Spoiler
“Starting off on my own, the high school life that is now over, the last three years of my youth is at it’s end. I am Karasenta Satsuya, eighteen years old, nearly at nineteen as my birthday is coming up tomorrow, now a young adult as I now set off to find myself a future that I can enjoy.”
Standing among my classmates in the school’s auditorium in our graduation ceremony, the first and second-years have give their bows and thank-yous to us with sorrow behind their tones, one of the female underclassmen is shedding tears but is trying to contain it.
“Thank you for your acquaintance and good luck for the future!”
They all said in union.
Looking at them smiling and crying, I felt the same sadness yet I didn’t cry.
After the graduation ceremony.
Outside at dawn alone, wanting a moment of peace from the graduation party. Seeing the sakura petals floating in the air relaxes me as I am tuning up my motorcycle as I have always do before taking it for a ride.
“Satsu, there you are.”
I heard a familiar voice that sends me a surprised as my name is being called. I turned around, I see a pretty girl who I recognized, she waved at me.
“Ah. Rinko, what are you doing here?”
I waved at her.
Tabaya Rinko is my ex-girlfriend, or rather, temporary. We had been dating since the summer festival last year until we broke off around end of February as we’ve rarely get to see each other because of exams and clubs. We’ve still flirt and talk each other on our phones though.
“I had a call from Tokyo University minutes ago, they say they had accepted me!”
She is cheering, clenching her fists in front of herself.
“That’s very great. It is hard to get into there these days.”
I said.
I felt happy for her and relieved. She had been studying at her limit to get into her dream university, I helped her from time to time in case she is struggling with math, her worst subject.
“Thanks to you. And sorry to drag you into helping me with exams even though we had to break up.”
She is looking down, her hands behind her back.
“No worries, I’m glad you get to be accepted.”
I sighed in relief. I was worried that her final grades would be below expectations.
“Now that I have achieved it, s-s-should we start getting back together…?”
Her cheeks blushing.
“You know that you have to do entrance exams before fully getting accepted, right? Have you forgotten?”
I said to her, giving her a strict expression.
“Universities are that strict in Japan you know, especially in Tokyo. Those entrance exams area test for eligible attendees to prove if they truly desire to further their education. I had told you that before, we shouldn’t start dating again so soon.”
“Ahaha… sorry. I just wanted to say that I missed being with you. I thought a lot about my future. I want to have you in it.”
She gets close to me, her hands on my arms.
“For you, you have no trouble getting into the university. You’re at the top of our class for the whole third-year and lead the baseball, soccer and kendo teams to the finals and won them all. You’re that amazing.”
She said the last word that I don’t consider myself as such.
“Heh. I had just forced myself to do it until I got it figured out and this body of mine getting used to it.”
“Yeah, typical Satsu~. So, have you decided on what you wanted to do for your future? Something that doesn’t make you be like your ‘loser of a father’ who smokes a lot like you told me about?”
“...”
I couldn’t answer.
“Still nothing, huh?”
Rinko looked concerned, it’s now the fourth time she says that. I just can’t find anything that suits me even though I had did excellent during our high school days.
“No worries though, there’s still time. There’s nothing in the world where you can’t find anything you can enjoy doing the most. Keep searching, it’s that kind of life everyone is going through.”
Yeah, you’re right. But when and where I’ll find what I am looking for?
I had thought.
“Ah man, my parents want me back home soon.”
She looks annoyed as she took a look on her cell phone.
“We’ll talk later, K’? I’ll study hard, for our future!”
She then gives me a hug. She took her bike from the racks and headed off.
My life with her doesn’t seem sound bad. At least for know better than my parents' relationship, them being more like siblings except when they are in their room.
Decided to go home, I've put on my helmet and rode away on my vehicle from the school, leaving my youth behind.
Riding to a secluded spot where the neon buildings of Tokyo is in view.
Sitting on a bench, I spend some time thinking about my future and my life with Rinko. Both positive and negative thoughts came up in mind.
I eventually ride to home after spending an half-hour from the place.
At home, it is already dark by the time I have arrived.
I parked my vehicle in the garage, closing the garage door, then step into the house's front door.
“I’m here.”
I said out loud for my mother to hear, taking my shoes off after.
“Hello, dear. How was the celebration?”
My mother said to me from the living room area, watching some romance drama on our flatscreen TV. She wore her work clothes which is a gray business suit, an expensive one.
I took out a octopus ball on a stick from a plate, my favorite snack, I ate the whole thing.
I was made aware when I was young that most of my features, such as my face and black straight hair, were inherited from my mother.
“It was ok, was boring most of the time though.”
Yawning as I sat down on the couch, feeling tired from the long ceremony. I have loosen my tie.
“Have you decided on which university you wanted to go to?”
*censored*, she has straight-up asked me that. She really doesn’t want me to take my mind off on college.
“Not yet. Could I decide later? I mean, I had the highest marks on my classes and had done lot of activities, Tokyo University will definitely want me to come attend there.”
I sighed.
I can’t argue with my mother. She has a degree in beauty fashion in which she gets paid five times our bills by her company as a leading fashionista, our bills averaging around the hundred-thousands figure. Note to mention that that she makes the most money in this family, hard to believe in our culture these days. Also to say that she's very beautiful even in her age (38), I always wondered how my father had manage to marry such a fine lady.
“True. You had did very well in school. Relax for the summer then but keep in mind for entrance exams.”
“I get it, hmph. I had said the same to Rinko.”
I frowned in annoyance. So pushy my mother is.
“Sounds like you two are getting back together. Have you finally learned after your sixth break-up?”
“Tch. Don’t push it.”
She smirked, closing her eyes in amusement.
I crossed my legs as I finished my food, I chewed the toothpick between my teeth.
I don’t like to be reminded of that too. I did had dated many girls in the past (Rinko being my sort-of current girlfriend). I wanted to know what it’s like to be in love. At least the girls I had been with took it easy with my words of encouragement for them, we are still friends and chat sometimes.
“I don’t mind you being with any girl. I know you’re wary of those who wanted to take advantage of you. I hope it’s not troubling you in the future.”
She is stretching her arms up, then lays down.
“Your father is on his way home soon. He had said he was getting something for you for being Sebunhoshi’s star student (pun intended) and your upcoming birthday.”
“Ah. He doesn’t have to buy me anything.”
I said to her, sighing.
It’s not that we’re stingy. My dad has always buy things for me whenever I had earned high scores on my exams (not to brag, I had always do). Games, limited edition anime DVDs/manga, the motorcycle which I had wanted for my last birthday. I wished he should relax himself and should not giving me all I wanted, I do not like to be spoiled. I just couldn’t refuse knowing he is that generous.
I have heard the door open.
“Honey, I’m home. Boy, what a day I had.”
My father is calling out to my mother.
“How was the trip, dear? And our star son is here.”
She stood up, kissed him on the cheek as she approached him.
“I had fun. Nice to see Shibuya, got stuck in traffic for an hour, almost ran over a drunk guy, whew, I need a smoke.”
“Tch.”
I clenched my fist.
“Hey Sats. Congrats on graduating.”
He puts his arm around my neck from behind.
“Quit calling me that.”
I death-stared at him. He has pronounced that dreaded nickname in English which I find it annoying enough to wanting to punch him in the face. I can smell the cigarettes from his presence.
“What have you got me this time, father?”
“I’ll tell ya later. How’s your ex by the way? You two are getting back together?”
What the hell, mother? You had shouldn’t text him while he was driving. One poor soul was lost last week when he was playing that one mobile game and driving at the same time.
“I’m thinking about it. She’s being too hasty though. She has to do entrance exams for Tokyo University.”
I had said to him.
“That’s a low blow. You two should hang out this summer vacation. Better bring some protection.”
He grinned childishly.
No, I am and will not going that far with her, it’s like taking advantage of her feelings. He’s being too immature regarding relationships.
I had thought.
“Anything you think about your future at the moment?”
He then asked.
“I don’t have anything in mind. I needed some time to relax.”
“Oh? Guessing you got busy during your last school year. I understand. When I was your age, I kind of lax with school work and hanging with my good buddies.”
He grinned again. My eyes darted away from him.
Geez, he really knows how to relax.
In my room.
I had lay down on my bed, staring at my window which it was open, feeling the warm breeze of the spring night.
My mind is conflicted. Despite what I had said to my parents about furthering my education, I never truly intended to continue it in a university. I have wanted to take myself to go out as an adult and see what I can partake in and go to places where only adults can be in. But so far, there is nothing that has interested me. Is this is what an adult has to deal with?
“Satsuya.”
A voice had called out to me, saying my name from my bedroom door. It's my father.
I looked at him.
“We need to talk.”
Agh. Has he figured it out?
“What do you want? Let me rest, I had a long time.”
I said to him bluntly, of course I am tired but I'm not ready to discuss about myself not wanting to continue education.
“Tch, don't want to? I should sell off your ride for that attitude.”
He sounds serious. Never once until now that he threatened a punishment for telling him off and he just leaves me alone.
“Okay okay.”
I get up, walked towards him.
“Let's head to the backyard, your mother is sleeping.”
I nodded as I walked behind him to our back yard.
Outside, it is night time. No clouds, the stars are shining. I can tell more of the warm spring breeze.
My dad lit a cigarette with his lighter, lets out a puff of smoke from his mouth.
“Son, do you really have nothing in mind for your future?”
He said in a gruff voice which I felt sort of tense of hearing it.
He had did figured it out. I couldn’t hide it anymore.
“No. I just couldn’t decide.”
I looked down, I feel that he’ll be disappointed.
He took out his cig, blew another puff. Sighing.
“After all that studying and honor *censored* you brought yourself into, I expected you to do what I couldn’t achieve like I had told you since you were in middle school.”
He drops his used cig on the pavement, stomps it hard, he pulled another cig and lit it.
I have never hear him sounded this serious. He was always upbeat and immature around me over the years since I first started thinking. Maybe he had decided to start being serious now that my high school life has ended.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m not mad, I understand you’re stuck like this. I’m glad to have a family; you and your mother. It keeps me going in life.”
“What do you mean?”
I had asked.
His eyes then shows sadness.
“You remember when I had said that I wanted to be an aspiring manga artist and then gave up on it? Pathetic to say, it's because of my past. Those times I had still remembered, painful memories.”
He had mentioned his former dream of being an manga artist. He had shown me his work since I was young. They were very good, enough for the publishing companies to hire him, yet he had gave up on it because he had said that he couldn't think up of a good story. I had resented him for giving up a dream in which he had worked for since he was young. I didn't want to end up like him.
My father planted his face with his left hand.
“It's tough of being an adult. Having these feelings ever since that day, I just couldn't get over them. I don't want to forget those times and the friends I had really enjoyed being with.”
He then looks at me.
“You had a good high school life, but it's no fun compared to mines to say.”
He smirked. I am quick to be annoyed with him again.
“Me and my friends, both boys and girls, had did lot of fun stuff together; studying, enjoying playing against our rival school teams, playing video games, hosting parties, play pranks on our senior classmen, making each other laugh. Those were the good old days.”
He rubs his hair, smiling but sorrow is clearly seen in his eyes.
“Up to three years in high school, I had enjoyed those days with them until senior year came by, that year was the change of my life, both happy and tragic, I don't want to talk about it though. Still hurts my heart just by thinking about it.”
Him had mentioning three years and senior year in high school made me noticed.
“You weren't actually in Japan on that time?”
I had asked.
“Good that you had noticed. I had wanted to study abroad since I had not like going to high school in Japan during my first year. I had wanted to try out something new so I convinced my parents of moving to America to attend high school there. It was New York City that we had decided on as some of our relatives have lived there I which I had moved in with them.”
He patted me in the shoulder.
“Sorry to had lie about it to you. I was meaning to tell you about it when you were growing up and wanted you to learn more about America but by then, you were already deep into our country's culture. I didn't want you to lose that kind of passion. I wanted you to succeed where I had failed.”
He looked down.
“You can say that myself going to America was a mistake. It was the place where I had first learned what it's like to be in love when my senior year had started. Around my final year, lot of things happened and I had myself break away from the one I loved, not wanting to hurt her more. Those lessons had later helped me with winning your mother’s heart days after I had arrived back in Tokyo.”
He is gripping his lighter.
“I see.”
I had said to him.
“There is much to learn in life, love is the hardest feeling to gain for, be sure to stay on the path you want to choose. The rest of the world has much to offer.”
He reached his hand to me.
“Take it, your early birthday present.”
He has given me his lighter, it feels smooth.
“It’s not too late to change, I had been holding on this regret to now. I’ll quit smoking from now on.”
He let out a breath of relief..
I looked at the lighter, it’s a zippo kind of lighter. I flicked open the lid and closed it.
“It belongs to my closest friend back in America. He had given me it when we were hanging out. We were in different schools, us started out as rivals, competing against each other in everything until we had set aside our differences. He was a really cool guy.”
He smiled.
“Thanks, I’ll keep it with me safe.”
“I’ll support you, no matter how long it takes you to find a dream. Do it for your own joy.”
He hugged me, patting my back.
“Thanks. I’ll do my best, dad.”
I nodded at him.
“Aha, dad, I haven't heard that from you for such a while.”
He had laughed softly.
I smiled a little.
“Am I intruding a touching scene?”
I heard my mother speaking, I see her walking towards us.
“It’s alright, dear.”
He holds her hand. She then pinched his cheek with her other hand.
“You had realize that it's very late out here...get your butt back in bed with me.”
“Owowowow...sorry honey.”
She had scolded him. She really doesn't like it when the two of us stay up late, she can be even scary whenever she needed s...well I won’t mention the obvious.
“We're sorry.”
Me and my father bowed to her in union.
Sometime after.
Back in my room.
Laying down on my bed again, the light from the moon shone down, illuminating my room in a deep blue.
Looking at the lighter that is my present, above me in my hand, the moonlight reflects on the surface.
My thoughts on my future so far; none. Absolutely against having a ‘real job’ such as working in offices and the inevitable stress that haunts adults up to their retirement in which I wanted to avoid, learning some cues from my father who had given up his creative dream and from his inspiring manga artist of a famous story about pirates in which I am an avid reader of.
Now thinking about my father’s life in New York City in his younger years that he had told me about earlier. The city often being mentioned as the city of opportunities, having heard from the people referring to it as such during my very few free days in Shibuya. Also I had learned that it is a rather unsafe city due to various crimes and a unreliable police force and the people there being very unfriendly.
Regardless, I have became curious of what the city is like in person, especially since my father had enjoyed being there until the end of his senior year. Thinking about it from all the information I have learned so far, it was time for my mind to rest, eventually falling into a deep sleep. My hand holding my present resting on my chest.
…
…
...
“Why do you want to know about me? I'm not that interesting.”
“Hm?”
I hear a voice speaking in English.
“Don't take this the wrong way, I'm just not interested in making any friends.”
A figure came to view; a young girl my age, having long blonde hair, blue eyes, having a somber look.
“Find a reason to enjoy life? No one has told me that ever. You're...kind.”
She started to smile despite myself not saying anything, as if I'm in place of someone else.
“Maybe it wouldn't hurt to try. I'm not sure about myself but I'll give it a chance. I don't want to feel this way any longer."
She then gets up and walked away from me.
"Thanks for taking your time to get to know me. I hope we will be in the same classes. My name is La…”
Her words are cut short as she had disappeared from view.
My eyes are open.
I'm in my room, it is still nighttime. I looked left then right, my head is feeling a little dizzy.
“Did I had a dream?”
Mumbling to myself, I try to remember what dream I had, my mind came up with nothing. My left hand felt something wet. I looked at the lighter where my hand is, there is indeed some wetness on it.
“Damn it, I hope I didn't drool on it.”
In spite of what I had said, it feels different from drool, yet, more watery.
“Is it...from a teardrop?”
Thinking about that possibility, I believe it's unlikely. It is hard for me to cry, not wanting to again experience that since I was little.
“Strange. Could it be about that dream I just had?”
Whatever it was, I couldn't put more thought on it as I fall back to sleep.
...
...
…
I woke up again, this time it's morning.
I never had that dream again…
To be continued.
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